Reader Greer's defense of the denialists in the global warming debate is disappointing. Most of Greer's data emanates from publications of Fred Singer, a nay-sayer in global warming positions.
Mainstream science does not fail to include water vapor in the calculations, but doing so does not help the denialist argument because there is evidence that along with increased carbon dioxide there is an increase in water vapor as well (water is a by-product in the burning of oil and natural gas). Indeed, as the temperature goes up, so does the amount of water vapor. In addition it is known that small particles of soot and sulfates from burning coal contribute about 20 percent of the enhanced warming.
Mainstream science also recognizes that there was a small temperature increase in Europe in the Middle Ages, likely from natural causes. It is also indisputable that there are three known celestial origins of natural climatic change on earth: two elliptical orbit factors and one earth's axis factor, but these have periods of 22,000, 1,000,000, and 41,000 years, none of which are of current concern.
Ice core sampling shows clearly that in the past 450,000 years the carbon dioxide concentrations have varied between 200 and 280 ppm until the continual increase some 250 years ago to its present high value of 360 ppm. None of the current models can be assured of certainty in predicting the future, but since they indicate appreciable chances of severe climatic change in short periods as short as one decade, why take the chance of relying on the ideological denialists’ wishful thinking.
Even if global warming disasters never occur, it should be obvious that the U.S. has to shed its pathetic dependence on oil and coal in favor of new technologies buttressed by nuclear energy. Back in 1973 we received our first dire warning with the Arab oil embargo. If we had a responsible Congress, wiser presidents, and a more rational electorate since then, we would be in a much stronger economic and defense position today. As it is, the clock is ticking and Congress is politicking in their usual corrupt, contemptible way.
- Dale Brandreth, Hockessin
